1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to determining electrical characteristics of conductive materials. More specifically, the invention is an apparatus that is useful in determining surface conductivity of materials at microwave frequencies.
2. Description of the Related Art
The determination of surface conductivity at microwave frequencies is important for evaluating, for example, conductive mesh materials which have been used on parabolic antennas. Current techniques used for determining surface conductivity at microwave frequencies include radiometric, loaded waveguide and resonant cavity techniques. Radiometric methods are most appropriate for measuring the radiation emitted by a lossy conductor. Further, this technique requires elaborate measurement systems and precise calibration using thermal standards. Adapting loaded waveguide or resonant cavity techniques for evaluation of a conductive mesh requires considerable fixture modification.